Growing Online Dating Relationships

Just like regular real-world relationships, online relationships need tending,
to grow over time. Here are some quick growing tips.

1.  Take time and make time. Does your online date get in touch with you
regularly? Do you do the same? Neglecting virtual meetings can be considered
abuse or neglect, so treat each other's time with respect. If it's lacking,
might mean time to move on.

2.  Communication needs to "feel" right for both of you. If one of you is too
pushy about meeting, for instance, that can give off bad vibes. So don't rush.
Take time to learn more about each other and develop trust.

3.  Respect each others privacy. Don't share personal email addresses or
digital photos online, for example, if your online date sent you the
information in confidence.

4.  Share special online and offline fun times. Online -- send greeting cards,
links to favorite places to upload digital photos of your favorite pet,
download music and video clips, post on favorite forums of interest. Offline-
if you're exchanging addresses or post office boxes, send print greeting cards
and postcards, small items from your area (like a key chain with your state
bird).

Tend your online relationship. Water it with care and over time it can sprout
and grow.

More Popular Online Dating Activities

A couple of popular online activities are sharing recipes and bidding at
auctions. And both of these easily fit well into online dating opportunities,
one of the most popular online activities for singles today.

To help many dates get better acquainted online, here's what potential
cyber-dates do.

Sharing Recipes -- People get tired talking about the weather. So a popular
subject to turn to is food. Sharing favorite foods and recipes helps break the
ice and even forms friendships over culinary skills -- or lack of -- and
tastes. Search your favorite search engine for "free recipes" to share. Take
photos of your culinary creations and share them with your date, too.

Bidding at Auctions -- Ebay auctions sell nearly anything and everything! So
surf around and enter searches like the dates you were in middle school. Share
cool memorabilia photos of old games and toys from when you were a child or
when your parents or grandparents were little; The Dating Game, Oscar Mayer
wiener whistles, The Partridge Family Album, Bobby Sherman's Album, 45's and
more.

Online dating can be an educational and fun experience. So learn more about
each other and have fun while you're at it. Take a cyber-stroll down memory
lane together and see what's cookin'.

Popular Online Dating Activities

All types of everyday activities are growing in popularity online these days
like sharing photos and greeting cards. In fact, both of these even go hand in
hand with online dating opportunities, one of the most popular online
activities for singles today.

Before actually meeting in person, many dates get acquainted online first.
Here's how.

Photos -- As a wonderful keepsake of your budding romance, create an online
photo album for your new cyber-mate. Include digital photos of favorite outdoor
scenes, pets, flowers, cars, silly moments, your computer corner or laptop, etc.
Then you'll even have more to discuss during online dates via emails and chat
rooms. Search for "photo albums" to find places that store your photos.

Greeting Cards- Regardless of where the person lives, you can mail a greeting
card. If privacy and security is an issue, check into renting an inexpensive
P.O. Box (check the Yellow Pages). You do not have to be an artist to make
something homemade and special for the new friend in your life. Even making a
special, personalized greeting card would be appreciated and show your date
that you care enough to take the time needed to make something by hand. Search
your favorite search engine for online greeting cards to send, too. They range
from free to low cost and can be sent in a click.

So get online and get active! No need to risk meeting in person until you get
more familiar with each other online first. So take the online plunge!

Popular Online Dating Activities For Men

Heads up, gents. Online dating can open up new doors of opportunities with a
little help from real world dating tips that work. Spice up your matchmaking
with some of these ideas.

Looks Count Comment on how attractive she is. Yes, women do want to know they
are pretty, even if they're online and you can't see them and have no idea. So
in your communications, ask questions that would help you know, but in an
unobtrusive way like -- how do you wear your hair? And then say how attractive
that must look.

Kindness Counts Point out nice things or the lemonade in life -- nice things
the other person has mentioned, nice acts the person has done, good things on
the news latterly, etc. Be upbeat, and forget those lemons in life. Even in
email a person can shout, by using all capital letters. So show manners and
kindness. Keep swearing, unkind remarks, prejudice, etc. out of your
communications. And "do unto others..."

So add some helpful real-world tips that do work (a lot of the time anyway)
into your online dating equations. And come up on the positive side of romance
-- and enjoy more lemonade!

A Man's Secrets to Successful Online Dating

People have taken to online dating like a duck takes to water -- because it
works -- or, at least, it can work. Women are, in general, terrified of meeting a
man that she has been chatting with online. All they have heard about are the
scary things that can happen -- and, I must say, they have a right to be careful
to the extreme. That's not only wise but vital. So what's a nice guy to do? You
aren't a pervert, a sexual predator, or a weirdo. You are just a nice guy
looking for "the" girl for you.

You must be patient. Don't press her for personal information like her real
name or where she lives. Keep your conversations light and fun until she feels
comfortable talking with you online. Don't try to rush her into meeting
face-to-face. She will think you are desperate or a pervert. Patience.
Patience. Patience.

Be absolutely honest about your physical appearance and job. A good
relationship has never been, and will never be, built on lies and deceit.
Eventually she will find out the truth anyway and there you are back at square
one.

A picture really is worth a thousand words. Post many pictures of yourself
doing your everyday activities and make them full body shots, not just head
shots. If you were dating a girl in the real world she wouldn't just see your
head.

Once the discussion has been opened about meeting face-to-face for the first
time, suggest that you meet in a very public place, during daylight hours and
that she bring a friend with her. After all, you have nothing to hide. You've
told her the truth about yourself and she has already seen a lot of pictures of
you. The only thing left is to make her feel safe meeting you.

Ask the Right Questions First

OK. You have joined a couple of dating services and written a killer profile.
You've uploaded a good picture and now you are going to chat with a contact.
What now? How do you start separating those who have real potential and those
who don't have any potential at all? You need to find out something about who
this strange woman really is and not just who she wants you to believe she is.
It would be nice if women wore labels like "Gold Digger" or "Daddy's girl" --
but they don't so it's up to you to find these things out and you can't just
ask direct questions. You need to know what mistakes you can avoid making and
how to impress this lady if you decide you want to do that.

After you are past the initial small talk, ask her, "What are the biggest
mistakes guys make when dating online?" Listen carefully to her answers. She's
going to tell you a lot about herself and her views on men in general.

Next you should ask her, "What do you really think about online dating?" Now
she will tell you if she has had any bad experiences dating o line and help you
to avoid making the same things wrong.

Now for the all-important one -- "What caused the break up in your last
relationship?" If she puts all the blame on the guy, you should probably move
on to the next prospect. If she takes all the blame herself, you should
probably do the same. If she says the breakup was by mutual consent or that the
relationship just wasn't right for either of them, you've heard the right
answer. Move forward but always with caution.

Asking the right questions will give you insight and make you more confident
when you meet the lady for the first time.

Honesty Really is the Best Policy

When you join an online dating service, you are looking for a girl that you can
like -- even come to love. That girl is looking for a guy that SHE can like or
even love. What you aren't looking for is a girl who would like your best
friend or your idea of what the perfect guy looks like or talks like or thinks
like. So, in order to find the right girl for you -- and she IS out there -- you
need to be completely honest with yourself about yourself when writing the
online profile, during the dating process and beyond.

The best way to begin writing your profile is to carefully analyze your past
relationship (s). What was right? What was wrong? What things really made you
like the last girl? Which didn't? Don't assume that just because you hated that
your last girl was so totally self-involved that she couldn't see anything else,
you'll be able to overlook that quality this time. You won't.

If you aren't 6'1" with a six-pack to be proud of, don't claim to be. If you
are a bar tender, don't claim to be a lawyer with a six figure income. If you
are 40 going on 50, don't pretend to be 30 something.

Remember, the idea here is to find a girl who will like you exactly like you
are. If you have lied in your profile, the first face-to-face meeting will
remove all her doubt that you are a liar -- and probably a cheat, as well.

Lastly, once you have found a girl that you believe can be the one for you, for
goodness sakes, cancel your membership to the online dating service. After all,
you know and she knows that online dating services are intended for those who
are looking -- not those who have found or been found.

Nice Guys Do It, Too!

I'm talking about online dating, of course. When the phenomenon of online
dating sites started several years ago, they were a haven for perverts, sexual
predators, nerds, and weirdoes of assorted varieties.

That is just no longer the case. All the stigma of online dating is gone.
Online dating has gone main stream and is, not only acceptable, but expected.
Online dating has become the primary tool of single people of all ages to
generate an interesting and rewarding social life.

Let's face it -- we are busy guys. We just simply do not have the time, the
energy, or the financial where-with-all to date several nights each week while
we look for the "one". You can sort through hundreds of profiles in a month for
less money than you would spend on one evening out, thus, saving time and money.
We use the internet to save ourselves time and money for a lot of things like
investments, shopping, medical information, and communications.

Why not make use of such a useful tool for our social and personal lives as
well? You could find the love of your life. At the very least, you will meet
some interesting people and possibly make some lasting friendships. It's easy
to get started. All you need is a computer and an internet connection. You'll
need to search for online dating services that meet your specific needs. They
are many and varied.

Join one or two. Then you'll need to write a great profile, upload a recent
picture of yourself and start making and answering contacts. That really is all
there is to it -- that and patience.

Don't wait any longer to start your new and interesting social life. Miss or
Ms. "Right" could be only a few clicks of the mouse away.

Online Dating Can Be Tough

Here's a little secret that those of the female persuasion keep from us guys:
Women, even very beautiful women, like to be approached by a confident and
interesting man. Are you surprised? It's true -- and confident and interesting
are much more important than looks to ladies of all ages, too. That's true for
internet dating, as well as, dating in your brick and mortar world but we're
talking about internet dating here -- so back to the subject at hand.

Once you have joined an online dating service, you will find that there a lot
more men than women and that the men are much more likely to browse profiles
and make initial contacts than women. Yes, it's a woman's world -- still. It's
"traditional" for men to make the first move. It always has been and it always
will be. Some things never change. That's why your profile and picture are so
important.

Remember -- confident and interesting -- and that does not translate to cocky and
self-centered. It's important that your profile lets people know that you have
friends you care about and that you are passionately interested in a variety of
things -- not JUST sports. Another thing about that all-important profile -- please
don't start it with, "I'm the guy your mama warned you about".

You will have just shot yourself in the foot with that line. Another one to
never use is, "I could be the man of your dreams". The lady HOPES you are but
she will be the judge of that -- so don't insult her intelligence. Remember:
exude confidence and interesting and you will find that lady you have been
looking for -- or she will find you.

Won't it be nice to have the ladies contacting you instead of you having to do
everything? If you write a great profile that stands out in the crowd, that
will happen.

Online Dating For Single Men

No matter what your age, height, weight or physical appearance, there are
thousands of women out there eager to meet you and eager for your company --
whether short-term or long-term relationships are what you want. If you have
found yourself suddenly "on-the-market" again after a relationship has
dissolved or are just too busy with your work to spend a lot of time looking
for a lady to keep you company, online dating can open the door to the dating
scene for you.

The good news is that all you need is a computer and an internet connection to
get started. The first thing to do is find an online dating site that fits your
needs. There are the large sites that offer many extras like live video chat and
even match you up with ladies using your profiles and, also, a lot of sites that
cater to special interests like religious preferences, outdoor enthusiasts,
gays, etc. You need to choose one or two that will meet your needs. I don't
recommend the free sites. The paid sites have a money back guarantee if you
aren't satisfied and the investment is small. A whole month costs less than one
dinner and movie date.

The next thing you need to do is write a killer, but honest, profile and upload
a recent but flattering picture of yourself. Now you are all set. Start
contacting ladies whose profiles sound interesting to you and answer any lady
who contacts you -- and do so promptly -- not, however, on holidays or weekends.
You don't want to appear that desperate. Don't give up after a month and think
you will never find the right lady for you. New people join online dating
services daily and at least half of them are ladies many, of whom, will want to
meet you.

Online Dating is Not a Contest

Online dating is not a competition between competing males for the attention of
a female. Grow up. Change your mind set from "winning" to "searching". This
isn't high school. You are all grown up and have been for quite some time, now.
Your attitude is the most important asset you have. You should like yourself and
not concentrate of all of the things that aren't YOUR idea of the perfect guy --
the one the all women want.

What is that women want, you ask? That's the age old question. Being of the
female persuasion myself, I can tell you a few things women want and don't want.

Women want a man to be confident -- NOT an arrogant jerk. There's a big
difference. You need to like yourself and not be self depreciating but you
don't need to come across like you believe that you are a gift to them from God
and have just fallen from the sky. They don't want you to think that THEY just
fell from heaven and are some kind of perfect being, either. They can't live up
to that expectation.

Women want a communicator. The "strong silent type" really isn't appealing at
all. They think you probably don't have an original thought in your head and
you probably haven't heard a word they said, either or that you just don't care
what they said or didn't even hear what they said. They want you to be
interesting enough to want to know more about you and they want you to think
that they are interesting enough to ask intelligent questions about what is
important to them, too.

Women do NOT want to be a prize to be won. They don't want to be a trophy. They
want to be the ONE woman that you want to be with.

Online Dating Safety For Men

Almost everything you read about online dating safety is directed at women but
men need to be concerned as well. Perverts, sexual predators and weirdoes come
in both sexes, all sizes, and all ages -- as do, liars and cheaters. So men need
to stay on guard, too.

It is common knowledge not to readily give out personal information to
strangers. The reason for not doing so is as large as the number of strangers
who want that information. If you come across a person who is giving out
personal information and asking others to do the same, don't do it. You don't
know what they want to use it for -- and you had better believe they want to use
it for something. That "something" will not be for your benefit. Men, also, need
to guard their real names, addresses, phone numbers, and place of employment. Do
not give that information to anyone online until you are confident that they are
who they say they are.

Men, be wary of women who seem too financially needy. If they ask for money, in
any of a dozen ways women can ask for money, cut the relationship off
immediately. They are not looking for love or even friendship -- they are
looking for financial help.

If a woman gives you a contact number but you cannot ever reach her at that
number, beware. If you always have to page them or text them and have them call
you back, this could be a sign that what they are telling you is not the
complete truth.

A need to get married and insecurity are other signs men should be very wary
of. If the woman is pushing too hard for a commitment you aren't ready to make,
it might be a good time to head for the nearest exit.

Online Flirting -- A New Art Form

Many of the same things work for online flirting that work for "brick and
mortar" flirting and all relationships begin with successful flirting. Flirting
is an art that requires oozing confidence without being OTT. If you go too far,
she will label you "slimy" If you don't go far enough, she will label you
"wimpy". So how do you achieve that point half way between slimy and wimpy and
do it online without using eye contact or body language? All you have is a
computer an internet connection and membership in an online dating site, right?

1.  Have fun! Be light-hearted, funny and entertaining. Make her eager to talk
to you again. Flirting is playful.

2.  Ooze confidence. Successful flirts have a positive outlook on life. You
need to transmit the "feel good" factor. An optimistic attitude attracts
females like honey attracts flies.

3.  3. Compliment her -- and do it often and sincerely. Nothing opens doors like
making her feel good about herself. She will want to spend more time with you
and if she pays you a compliment say "thank you". Do Not be self depreciating.

4.  Listen -- listen -- listen. Pay attention to what she says and ask appropriate
questions. Get her to open up and talk about herself. Make her feel like she is
interesting and that you are interested in her. Works wonders!

5.  Don't be rude. Flirting does not include being sexually explicit nor taking
offence if the lady isn't responding to you. If she isn't interested, take the
hint and move on to the next prospect. If you get a lot of rejections, you
should probably consider a different approach.

6.  Send an email after you chat. This ranks right up there with sending a
thank you note for a gift and it is vital to successful flirting.

Don't try to go too fast. Flirting is the first step to a successful
relationship.

3 Online Dating Mistakes to Avoid

While you search the internet for that special lady -- the one of your dreams --
your soul-mate -- the other half of yourself, you can do a lot of things right.
Sadly, you can, also, do a lot of things wrong -- things that will guarantee
failure and a broken heart. Out in the "real" world, being aggressive,
demanding perfection and even little white lies are all ingredients for
success. However, those same qualities are killers when you are dating online
and off line, too, for that matter.

There is a big difference between being aggressive or confident and being too
aggressive, over-confident, or just plain sleazy or slimy from a woman's point
of view. If you push too hard for a face-to-face, you will come across as too
aggressive -- maybe even, scary. Try to remember that you are not trying to close
a business deal and keep the relationship progressing at a slow but steady pace.
Patience is the key.

Nobody is perfect. We are all flawed in some way or another -- and that includes
you, as well. If you expect the woman to be absolutely perfect and demand that,
you will always be disappointed. Demanding perfectionism in your work is one
thing. Demanding perfectionism from a friend, co-worker or a lady you are
interested in is not just fine. It won't happen. Expect flaws and just deal
with them. Decide the ones you can live with and those you can't.

Little white lies and false fronts won't work. Be honest from the beginning of
a relationship. Write your profile. Make it interesting but don't make false
statements. The truth will come out eventually anyway. If you say you are a
lawyer who makes a million bucks a year and you are really an electrician that
makes $75,000, you have set yourself up for failure.

Remember -- don't be too aggressive, expect to ever find perfection or put on a
false front.

A Woman's "Don'ts" of Online Dating

There are some things that women should never do while engaged in an online
relationship with a man. These things are certain to put a quick and final end
to any further communications with him.

While chatting online or by email do not write your life story. His eyes will
glaze over and he will fall out of his chair. Keep it short and sweet until he
asks for details -- then provide them slowly and only answer the questions he
asks. For instance -- If he asks how many siblings you have, he is NOT asking for
the details of your interaction with them. He really just wants to know how many
you have. Say you have 2 (or whatever is true) and then ask how many he has. For
every question he asks you, you should ask one of him. Nothing turns a man off
like a long- winded woman who just doesn't know when to shut up or how to
listen.

Never, ever, EVER lie. I really believe that lies will catch up with you sooner
or later. Many women (and men) lie about their age, marital status, employment,
height, weight and a host of other things in their online profiles. That is a
huge mistake. If you find a man who you are really interested in, he will find
out you lied and there goes any possibility of the relationship progressing.
So, just be honest. There is someone out there who will like you -- even come to
love you -- for exactly the person you are.

Don't be too eager. It makes you look desperate and it really puts a man off.
They are first and foremost conquerors and if getting the person of their
desires to like them too is just too easy, they will quickly lose interest. I
don't mean play "hard-to-get". I mean, don't push for a face-to-face meeting.
Don't email them or IM them too frequently. Play it safe and play it cool.

A Woman's Guide to Writing a Great Profile

OK -- the time has come. You have joined an online dating service or two. Now you
must write that all-important profile -- the one that will attract attention and
reel in the man of your dreams -- but where to start? Maybe writing isn't even
something you think you do all that well. Even so, you can do this.

The first thing is to be absolutely honest about yourself. You are looking for
that man who will like -- maybe someday love -- YOU. THE REAL YOU! Examine past
relationships and list the things that you liked and the things you did not
like. If he smoked in the house and you hated it, you won't like it any better
the next time. If you love cats and will always want to own one or more, say
that you are an animal lover and want indoor pets. Someone who hates cats or is
allergic to them is not the guy for you.

Accent the things that make you unique. If you play the piano well, you really
want Mr. Right to appreciate it. If you run in marathons, a couch potato is not
a good match. If you love art, you really don't want a man who thinks Picasso is
an ice cream flavor.

Describe the things that are vital in your life. If volunteering is the one
thing that makes you feel useful and worthwhile, you want someone who would, at
the very least, support you if not join you in your volunteer projects. When you
get beyond superficial things, you will attract men who share your values.

Invest in your online profile by hiring a professional photographer for your
first online picture. This is so important. The picture is the FIRST thing men
see. The second thing is that they read what you have written about yourself.
Some online dating sites even provide you with a list of photographers in your
area that specialize in online dating site photos.

Blind Date vs Internet Date

Your friend has decided that you need help with your social life so she sets
you up with a blind date -- a friend of a friend of a friend. You, foolishly,
accept. Now there you are. It's less than one hour since you were introduced.
You are sitting in a Thai restaurant and you hate Thai food. The entree has not
yet been served. His idea of enlightened conversation is who will be in the
final four -- you aren't into sports. He knows the weekly TV schedule verbatim
-- you haven't sat through a movie in months because you run marathons and
volunteer at the local food bank. He says, "Volunteering is a waste of time
because you can't help 'those people' anyway." You look at your watch; see that
it's only been 10 minutes since you last looked at it the last time and wonder
how long it is before you can gracefully remove yourself from the situation.
Been there?

Now imagine a date with someone you met through internet dating and have been
chatting online with and exchanging emails with for quite some time. First, you
don't need to be introduced. You already know this man. You are sitting in an
Italian restaurant enjoying a delightful meal because you both know that the
other's favorite is Italian. The conversation flows easily as you discuss
common interests. He runs marathons and loves history just like you do. You
happily discuss the volunteer work that each of you is involved in. You look at
your watch and discover that it is late -- very late -- where Has the time gone.

There is a big difference between a well-intentioned friend "setting you up"
and choosing a man for yourself who shares your interests and tastes, isn't
there? Now which one would you rather have?

How Do I Choose the Right Site For Me?

With the explosion of online dating sites has come a virtual smorgasbord of
choices. There are free sites -- I don't recommend those but if money is a real
concern, they are better than nothing. There are the large paid sites with many
and varied features like chat, IM and even matching using profiles. There are
the less expensive paid sites with few features. There are special interest
sites for almost any thing you can think of...outdoor enthusiasts, couch
potatoes, religious, non-religious, gays, lesbians -- like I said -- almost
anything you can think of. So what's a girl to do? A girl should choose the
site or sites that best fit her needs.

Here are some things to consider:

(1)  Cost. How much do you want or how much can you spend each month for your
     membership(s)? 

(2)  Features. Which features are the most important to you?

    (a)  Profile matching systems. Is this a feature you really want or would 
         you rather decide who is right for you all by yourself? 

    (b)  Chat and IM's? There are websites who offer chat rooms and IM's on 
         their sites. Does that matter or would you be happy just sticking to 
         private email. 

    (c)  Outside Events -- such as speed dating? Are you interested in that? 

    (d)  Privacy. Some websites allow you to limit who can view your picture or 
         your profile. Does this matter to you or do you want as wide exposure 
         as you can have? 

    (e)  Safety. There are websites who do background checks of all subscribers 
         and certify their age, marital status and background. Would you feel 
         safer using this feature?

These are a few things but not all things you should consider when choosing an
online dating service or services. Do your homework and choose wisely for the
best results for you.

Mr. Perfect Does Not Exist!

The sooner you realize this sad but true fact, the sooner you can get on with
finding Mr. Close-Enough-To-Perfect. Prince Charming, riding on a white
stallion, lost his way or found Princess Charming and got married on his way to
your castle. Get over it and get on with it. You ARE going to have to actively
seek the man of your dreams and you won't find him hiding under your bed. You
already know that he isn't among the men that you are acquainted with so, now
what? Online dating is "what".

It's true that online dating, while in its infancy, was only made up of
perverts, sexual predators, nerds and weirdoes but that is no longer true. It
has become the main tool of the single person in every developed country in the
world. Forty million people can't all be wrong. Ask your girl friends if they
have ever used online dating or are using it now. If they are honest with you,
most of them have or are now members of at least one online dating site and
maybe more than one. It really is the way to go to meet eligible men who want
to meet you. It doesn't matter what any of your numbers are -- like age, height,
weight or income either. Somewhere out there in the big wide world there is a
man who will like you -- then love you -- and think that you are beautiful and
desirable. "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder" is true. What is considered
beautiful in one part of the world is completely different from what is
considered beautiful in another part of the world. It's even different from one
part of this country to another.

Find an online dating site that fits your needs. Write a great profile and post
a flattering picture. Start contacting eligible men on the site. Mr.
Close-enough-to-perfect could be a few mouse clicks away.

Nice Girls Do It, Too!

It is absolutely true that when online dating sites first started they were
populated entirely by perverts, sexual predators, weirdoes, social misfits and
emotional wrecks but that is no longer true. Online dating has gone mainstream
and has lost all the social stigma it once suffered. Single people of all ages,
races, religions and both sexes do it. Short people, tall people, thin people,
obese people do it. People from every developed country in the world do it.
Nice girls do it, too. The reasons people join online dating sites are as
varied as the people who join but mostly they join for three very good reasons:

(1) Time 
(2) Money, and 
(3) It works.

Time -- You can go through hundreds of online profiles and look at hundreds of
pictures in the same length of time only one real world date takes and the
screening is already done for you. You can tell right away if a guy is only
looking for casual relationships or long term commitments. How many times have
you worked 8 hours, gone home and spent another hour getting ready to go out
then gone to the local hang-out for singles only to see the same old jerks,
losers and drunks that are always there?

Money -- For the price of one evening out on the town you can enjoy an entire
month of meeting men from the safety of your own home -- do it in your jammies
or sweats and with a beauty facial working its magic.

It works. It really does work if you are willing to do the right things. Write
a profile that grabs attention, post recent pictures of yourself, be fun and
interesting while chatting with the men you meet on line, answering emails
promptly and being on time for a pre-arranged online meeting.

Online Dating For the Single 30 Something Woman

Life isn't fair. Men get all the breaks. You've devoted all of your 20's to
getting your career off the ground. Not that you haven't been dating -- you have,
but not seriously. Now here you are -- 30 something and there is no long term
relationship in sight. You can actually hear your biological clock ticking. You
have a precious few years to find a man to fall in love with, make him fall in
love with you, get married, and have a baby or its lights out. You already know
all of the men in your social circle. Not that they aren't nice guys -- some of
them -- but none of them are your soul mate. What's a girl to do?

Consider online dating. You have the opportunity to read hundreds of profiles
and look at hundreds of pictures in search of that "someone" that will be right
for you. Maybe he will live in the same city you do -- maybe he will live across
the country or even in another country altogether. You aren't limited to only
those men that you come in contact with personally. The possibilities are
almost endless.

"Is online dating safe", you ask. "Aren't the online dating sites made up
entirely of perverts, sexual predators and weirdoes in assorted shapes and
sizes?" the answer is, no they aren't. Not anymore anyway. That was true when
online dating first came on the scene but now it is mainstream. It's as safe as
you make it using common sense and sound judgment. Use the same caution that you
would when meeting any stranger. Don't give your real name, address or phone
number until you feel safe doing so. Don't rush into a face-to-face meeting
until you are confident and then make the first meeting in a public place and
during daylight hours. Give it a try -- Mr. Right might be a few mouse clicks
away.

Online Dating Safety for Women

Online dating can be a fun and certainly a rewarding experience for women of
all ages. Maintaining your safety while doing it is simply a combination of
using common sense and exercising good judgment. Online safety rules are the
same as real world safety rules.

You wouldn't give your name, address and phone number to a strange man that you
met in a bar or on the street so you should never do that online either. Play it
safe. Get to know this man who could turn out to be Prince Charming before you
give out any information that could make it possible for him or others to trace
you. Don't tell a stranger exactly where you work. Say that you are a legal
secretary (if that's what you are) for a mid-sized law firm -- not that you work
for Brown, Smith and Jones Attorneys-at-law. It is safe to tell him what city
you live in but you should wait to be any more specific than that until you
have been chatting and exchanging emails for awhile.

Use only the tools provided by the dating service you belong to. Most offer
chat and private email on their site. Do not give out your isp email address.
If you must give out an email address make it a free one such as Hotmail or
Yahoo. Your isp address is traceable for anyone who wants to go to the trouble.

When the time comes for you to have your first face-to-face, make that first
meeting in a public place and during day light hours. Take a friend with you or
arrange for one to call you on your cell soon after the arranged meeting.

Remember -- you ARE in control so do not let anyone pressure you into revealing
more personal information than you are comfortable with revealing.

The Advantages of Online Dating for Women

In the past, i.e. the 1990's, online dating was a brand new idea. Unlike today,
most people did not own PC's or even have access to the internet. Times have
changed. Online dating is not only IN the mainstream, it IS the mainstream.

There are many reasons for the phenomenal growth of online dating sites and the
number of people, men and women of all ages, races and religions who use them as
their primary source for meeting people and looking for "the one".

If you don't believe me, just ask your friends in the "real" world. If they are
honest, most of them will tell you they have or are using an online dating
service.

Here are three good reasons why thousands of people sign up for dating services
everyday:

(1)  You can be anonymous. You will never be required to give your real name,
address, email address, phone number or place of employment to another online
user. You, of course, may do so but only at your own discretion and only when
you feel completely safe. You are not required to post a picture of yourself.
Posting a picture, however, will get more responses to your profile. So you can
surf through the other members on the dating site you have joined with complete
anonymity.

(2)  You have so many more choices online that you do in your brick and mortar
world. Before the world of online dating came of age, the choice of friends and
even of lifetime partners was limited to those we came in contact with through
college or work. No more -- the world is your oyster. You can go through
hundreds -- even thousands of profiles to find the right man for you.

(3)  The "safety factor" is the biggest reason of all. An online dating service
will never reveal your personal information. You get to choose who has that
information and when they have it.

hat Are the Odds of Finding Mr. Right Online?

The odds of finding your "soul-mate" online are a lot better than you may
think. It doesn't happen for everyone, of course, but it can happen for you.
The world of internet or online dating has exploded over the last few years.

As our lives become busier and busier we need to make better use of our time
and energy in our search for the one man who will make our lives complete.

The old saying, "You have to kiss a lot of frogs before you find a princess" is
no longer true. Why kiss frogs when you can read hundreds of profiles and look
at the pictures that go with them for a small monthly fee? That saves time and
money -- not to mention lip burn.

These are a few good reasons to consider online dating:

(1)  There is a wide range of men to choose from. You aren't limited to the men
in your social circle or work environment.

(2)  You have the opportunity to get to know a lot about a man before you ever
contact him for the first time. You will know his age, marital status, what
city he lives in, whether he has children, his height/weight and his likes and
dislikes all from his profile. You'll even see a picture of him.

(3)  You have a better chance to present yourself in a favorable way. This is
especially useful for those of us who are shy. We have time to think about how
we want to say things about ourselves and can avoid being tongue tied. Even
those who are more extroverted can take time to reflect on who they really are
before writing their online profile.

(4)  Online dating is certainly a time saver. You can meet so many more men in
a lot less time than you ever could out in the real world.

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